5 Warning Signs of a Dying Church

by: Thom Rainer

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Change or die.

Imagine hearing those words from your physician. I hope you would be motivated to change. Eat well. Exercise. Stop smoking.

You get the picture.

Okay, I have some tough news for you who are members or leaders of about 100,000 churches in America.

Change or die.

You read that correctly. In fact, if your churches don’t make substantive changes in the next few years, your church will die.

So what churches are at risk? Instead of naming the specific churches, I have listed them in five categories. The categories are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

1. Shallow roots. These churches are no longer rooted in Scripture. They have drifted from the clear teachings of the Bible to a secular or social approach to ministry, which is really not ministry at all.
2. Self-entitled. Another name for these churches are “country club” churches. The members demand the church serve them. They have to have things done their way, or they will leave. After all, the pay their “dues” (offerings) for their perks and privileges.
3. Negatively critical. The members of these churches spend more time criticizing than they do evangelizing. They are in regular conflict. Some run off pastors. They wear out pastors and staff and “good” church members.
4. Ignorantly idolatrous. It’s easier to get away with heresy in these churches than to make certain changes. No one can use the parlor. We can only have a certain style of music. We better not mess up my service by adding another service. In each of these cases, the members have idols, though they would deny it vociferously.
5. Evangelistically anemic. The Great Commission is the great omission in these churches. Church members no longer share the gospel. Maybe the pastor is not evangelistic either. There are no new Christians in the church.

Nearly one of three churches will die in the next few years. They must change. Or they will die.

I wrote Who Moved My Pulpit? to provide leaders a roadmap to lead change in their churches. I wrote out of conviction and a broken heart. I wrote it with the prayer and hope that it can be used to make a difference.

Maybe I wrote it for your church.

Maybe I wrote it for you.

Change or die.

For many of you, there is a choice.

But time is quickly running out.

Tags: Thom Rainer, Who Moved My Pulpit?, dying church, warning signs

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Burying a Program

by: Eric Geiger

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Tags: Alignment, Eric Geiger, Simple Church, Structure, canceling church programs, church programs

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5 Questions for Living Small and Dreaming Big

by: Todd McMichen

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Church growth and impact over the last decade extend beyond the megachurches we hear of most often. The small church has been on the rise as well, freed from past restraints of limited resources and underdeveloped vision. Innovation and technology are driving a new wave of exponential impact.

Small churches are finding ways to leverage bivocational staffing. Some are giving away as much as 50 percent of their resources. Others are seating fewer people in one place, but reaching more across multiple campuses and online.

These churches are as likely to exist in small towns and impoverished areas as they are in rapidly growing metropolitan suburbs. For many church leaders, it’s a great time for living small and dreaming big. Here are five questions to consider as your church seeks to make a bigger impact on your community and the world.

1. Does your church possess a focused ministry toward discipleship results?

Technology is available to all today and simplicity is in. Because so many resources are readily available online, small churches can produce high-quality programming for worship, children, students, and small groups.

Larger churches are also deprogramming to streamline and narrow their ministry focus. The smaller church is simple by nature; the larger church is seeking to become simple by choice. Church ministry programming is more similar today than ever.

2. Does your church have a leadership pipeline designed to raise up the next generation?

Creative use of bivocational or volunteer staff is expanding. In the past, bivocational ministry was relegated to small towns or small congregations. Today, more churches are strategically empowering and training a less expensive volunteer and bivocational work force. The typical church dedicates up to half of its income to personnel. Once facility and operational costs are taken into account, ministry resources are often less than ideal.

It’s important for churches to have adequate staff, but in this season, it’s equally important to train and equip many volunteers to serve in high-capacity leadership roles. When a church can devote 25-35 percent of its income to staff, leaving a greater share for ministry and community investment, the results are often exceptional. The identification and development of future leaders is a near-constant need.

3. What committed partnerships does your ministry possess?

Trusted local and global partnerships are common. Smaller churches need the power and influence of outside organizations to have the opportunity for expanded impact. In the past, churches acted more independently, were less trusting of parachurch organizations, and were more loyal to their denomination.

Now, many of these walls are being broken down and cooperative partnerships across faith tribes are becoming the norm. Committed ministry partnerships allow a small congregation to experience a large impact both locally and globally. They also permit large churches to be more effective with their resources.

4. Do you have a plan to reach more while building less?

Smaller buildings create more cash flow. One of the major contributors to limited financial resources is church debt. When congregations wisely under build in order to multiply services, tremendous amounts of resources are released for new ministries, staff positions, mission opportunities, and multisite development.

Ministry is more fun when you have more liquid resources. As land and building costs continue to increase, more efficient use of space and dollars will become the norm. Even large churches are learning how to multiply in smaller venues.

5. How is your church making disciples according to its unique calling?

Uniqueness is being celebrated. Thirty years ago, almost every church looked alike. When it came to meeting times, styles, and programming, worship offerings were pretty much the same. As the church became more contemporary, only a few popular ministry models were adopted because few knew how to create a different kind of church.

Today, we have entered a time when leaders are dreaming biblically sound visions in fresh ways. These visions are being lived out down the street and around the world. Technology brings everything in real time and allows us to get there quickly.

Like never before, the eyes of church leaders are open to explore their unique God-given vision and calling. Success is now measured in disciple-making and community impact rather than building size or budgets.

There has never been a better time to lead a church. Large or small, urban or rural, local or dispersed, every church can make an impact locally and globally. How will the questions above challenge you to live small and dream big?

> Read more from Todd.

Would you like to learn how to make a bigger impact in your community and the world? Connect with an Auxano Navigator and start a conversation with our team.

Tags: Committed Partnerships, Discipleship Results, Dreaming Big, Leadership Pipeline, Todd McMichen

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4 Giving Gimmicks that Cheapen Biblical Stewardship

by: James Emery White

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Webster’s dictionary defines “gimmick” as “an attention–getting device or feature, typically superficial, designed to promote the success of a product, campaign…any clever little gadget or ruse.”

Churches use money gimmicks all the time.

I don’t like them. Not simply because they are “gimmicky,” but because they cheapen biblical stewardship.

The heart of biblical stewardship is not complicated.

There are three principal truths:

1. God owns it all;
2. If God owns it all, He has all of the rights as owner, and I/you operate solely in the realm of managerial responsibility (It’s not “God, what should I do with my money?” but “God, what do You want me to do with Your money?“), which means that –
3. Every spending decision is a spiritual decision. God cannot be shut out of any transaction.

When it comes to giving, the Bible teaches about tithes and offerings. A tithe is ten percent of all that we earn, given to God through the local church of which we are a part. Offerings are those gifts that are given “above and beyond” those tithes in relation to special events, projects or memorials.

The Bible is also full of wisdom on limiting debt, saving for the future, and working hard with time and talents in order to maximize earning.

Beyond these truths are some basic application principles, like the 10-10-80 principle – meaning that the soundest management of our funds would involve giving 10% to God through the local church of which we are a part, 10% to savings, and then living off of the remaining 80%.

Another principle I’ve long taught is to start where you are. If you come to Christ and have financial realities that war against these plans, you should begin with a blend of realism and faith. Start by giving and/or saving 1% (though it will be sacrificial), then 5%, working your way up to the percentages that will both fully honor God and optimally serve your life.

God cares more about our heart and intent than a legalistic percentage. The amount matters, to be sure, but only as it reflects a true barometer of our life. Which is why, for many of us, giving ten percent is far too little.

(Legalism cuts both ways).

That is the essence of biblical stewardship in regard to finances.

So where do church money “gimmicks” fit in?

They don’t.

But that hasn’t stopped leaders from using them as short-cuts to true discipleship.

Here are four of the most common that cross my path:

Refunding the Tithe

Many churches give in to the gimmick of offering to “refund the tithe” if somehow God doesn’t provide for their needs after they’ve tithed. In other words, the line is, “Tithe, and if God doesn’t supply your needs on the 90% leftover, we’ll return what you gave.”

I get the point. In Malachi, there is a promise that giving will never outrun supply. So this is a church ponying up and saying they have so much trust in God’s provision, they will “insure” your tithe.

But that isn’t discipleship. You either trust or you do not. Period. Further, the blessing of the tithe is so multifaceted that to reduce it to income alone is a ridiculous truncation of God’s promise.

The value is generosity, not a return on your investment.

Money Giveaways

Some churches plant envelopes of money under the seats of the auditorium. Then, after a talk on giving, they tell those in attendance to reach under their seats and (surprise!) find an envelope of cash – say, from $20 to $500.

Then, the challenge goes, they are to take that money and invest it for kingdom gain. Use it for a bake sale, or to start a for-profit website. Do something with that money that you think could gain a return. Sure, you can keep it and use it on yourself, but if you will trust God with it, you will find that you will be able to be served – and serve others – at the same time.

I agree with the principle, but the means of teaching it?

You can’t trust God now, but we will give you “free” money to trust with – which takes no trust at all – to see if He’s trustworthy?

Again, that’s not creating disciples.

Entrepreneurs and Kickbacks

If I had a nickel for every time someone wanted to promote their business through the church and, in the process, give the church a kick-back in revenue, I would be retired in Palm Beach.

Of course, they don’t pitch it that baldly.

It’s spiritualized.

They couch it all in terms of serving the church and its needs. Their profit is inconsequential, if not irrelevant.

The truth is that many enterprises actually train their people to work church “networks” for gain. They bathe their enterprise in “Christian-ese” in order to gain entry into trusting communities and, hopefully, open wallets.

The church is not a business nor “in” business. God designed it to be funded through the changed hearts of His people and their giving.

Fund Raisers

This one will ruffle a few feathers because fund raisers are so common in churches. Particularly with youth groups.

But again, it’s not teaching stewardship. It’s just gimmicky giving.

If you are going to support a student missions trip, fund it through the church’s budget. Or don’t. But don’t make it a side item that has to be handled through a car wash.

But even further, when you start down this road, you start down the road of “designated” offerings. Meaning, a gift that is given for one and only one thing.

“I want to give this money for…”

…my favorite ministry,

…my favorite staffer,

…my favorite project,

…my favorite mission.

Meck has not accepted a “designated” offering, apart from capital campaigns and Christmas year-end offerings – meaning ones we have imposed on our selves – in our history. We actually turn them down.

It’s just not healthy.

It’s certainly not healthy for the church, which simply can’t run on designated offerings (Anybody want to designate the light bill?). But further, it can be a subtle sign of distrust, refusing to follow leadership, or simply play well with others in the sandbox.

Trust the church’s leadership, or don’t.

Give to the budget, or don’t.

But picking and choosing where your money is spent is divorced from God calling you to be a part of a church, trusting God with that church, and trusting the leadership that is prayerfully leading that church in light of their ordained role.

Ask for accountability all day long (Meck’s members vote to approve its annual budget, and then has an outside accounting firm do an annual audit), but using designated offerings to try and direct things, force things, or enable your agenda is not the mark of a healthy church member, much less a healthy church community.

After all, nothing about money and the church should be gimmicky.

Even the giving.

> Read more from James Emery White.

Want to learn how to avoid giving gimmicks and develop generosity for your church? Connect with an Auxano Navigator and start a conversation with our team.

Tags: Giving Gimmicks, James Emery White

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